A cqbpqxation oe con



Dec. 19,1922,

INVENTOR BY M .w ATTORNEY K 1,438,958.. E. N. HUMPHREY BUCKLE. FILED APR. 3. 1922.

Patented Dec. 19, 1922.

EBNEST N. HUMPHREY, OF NEW BRITAIN,

ever lcil i...

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOE TOTHE TRAU'I 8:

HINE lviFG. COII'IPANY, OT NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF COIN- NECTICUT. p

Application filed April 3,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST N. l"lU)[- Pruner, a citizen of the United vtitates of America, residing at New Britain, Connecti cut, have inventeda new and useful Buckle, of which the following is a soecification.

My invention relates to buckles, the object being to provide in a device of that character exceedingly simple and efficient operating and belt gripping means. The invention is particularly applicable to belts and is so constructed that while gripping the belt very firmly it does sowitliout injury thereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the buckle, the face of the front plate being partially broken away to expose the operating ant gripping portions.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the parts shown in Fig. 1, showing the belt ends in place.

F 3 is a perspective view of a detail.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modification.

1 represents the face plate portion of the buckle frame, the same having two rearwardly directed flanges 22 along the opposite side edges thereof. 3 is an operating lever pivoted at 4; to the side members. is is the usual clamp pivoted to the free end. of the operating lever 3 and by which the fixed end 6 of the belt may be secured. 7 is the belt gripper which in the form shown is made of a strip of metal, prefefably wire, bent into irregular form. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the gripper 7 is of V-shaped formation and is provided with pivot ends 7 a for engagement with the side flanges 22 of the frame. The free end of the gripper extends under the pivoted. end of the o aerating lever 3, which is shaped in such a manner that when the free end of said lever is swung down as indicated in Fig. 2, it will force the gripper 7 tightly against the adjustable end 6" of the belt. The relatively sharp edge of the operating lever 3 is thus prevented from contacting with and brading the belt, the holding of the belt being accomplished by the frictional engagement of the gripper 7 therewith. Looked at from; the edge as shown in Fig. 2, the gripper maybe bowed or curved. to conform generally to the curva- 1922. Serial No. 549,001.

ture of the belt and the plate 1, whereby a substantial portion of the gripper will be forced into binding engagement with the belt. It will be seen that the gripper actually bite slightly into the surface of the; belt without injury thereto, since in the preferred form the gripper is made from wire thereby avoiding all sharp cutting edges. If desired, portions of the gripper may be flattened down as at T -7". By making the gripper in this manner the same is sufliciently flexible to adapt itself to belts of different thickness.

In the modifications shown in Fig. i, l. have bent the wire gripper 7 in zig-zag form, that is to say, I have provided a plurality of alternate reverse bends which in effect increases the actual length of that portionof the gripper which contacts the belt and increases the friction. The operating lever 3 coacts with the gripper 7 in the same, manner as in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2. i

It will be noted that the gripping or biting member comprises two or more: bars which extend in a direction generally lengthwise of the buckle and of the adjustable belt end, these being connected by a portion or portions extending transversely of the buckle.

it will be understood that l have shown my invention in certain preferred forms but that l apprehend various changes may be made therein without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

That I claim is:

1. In a buckle of the character described, a front piece, an operating member pivoted at the rear thereof anda biting member interposed between said operating member and said front piece, said biting member comprising a plurality of relatively narrow bars extending in a direction generally lengthwise of the buckle, said bars being connected by means extending transversely of said buckle.

2. In a buckle of the character described, a front piece, an operating member pivoted at the rear thereof and a biting member interposed between said operating member and said front piece, said biting member comprising a plurality of relatively narrow bars extending in a direction generally lengthwise of the buckle, said bars being connected by means extending transversely of said buckle, said biting member being mounted to tilt.

3. In a buckle of the character described, a front piece, an operating member pivoted at the rear thereof and a biting member interposed between said operating member and said front piece, said biting member com prising a plurality of relatively narrow bars esser-1e said front piece, Said biting member com- JlSlnQ a plurality of relatively narrow bars extending in a direction generally lengthwise of the buckle, said bars being connected by means extending transversely of said buckle, said biting member being mounted adjacent to one end to tilt, the pivot for the biting member being spaced away from the pivot for the operating member.

5. In a buckle, front piece, a biting member formed of Wire bent in zig-zag form, the ends of said Wire being pivoted on the back of said front piece, an operating memher also pivoted on the back of said front piece and enacting With the ale-tagged por tion of the biting member to move the same into a belt engaging position.

ERNEST N. HUM'PHBEY. 

